PILLARS   OF   HERCULES,  CHEYENNE   CANON. 


Frontispiece. 


A  TRIP  TO  THE  ROCKIES 


BY 


B.  R.  C 


NEW  YORK 

kerbot 
1890 


£be  Ikmcfcerbocfcer  iprcss,  1Rew  JJorfc 

Electrotyped  and  Printed  by 
G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 


TO   THE  "DALMATIA"  PARTY 

THE   MOST   INTELLIGENT   AND    CONGENIAL   COMPANY 

OF   TOURISTS    THAT   THE 

SKY-KISSING    CLIFFS   AND    PRAIRIES   PRANKED    WITH    FLOWERS 
EVER    WELCOMED 

WHOSE  ASSOCIATION   WILL   EVER    BE   CHERISHED    AMONG  THE 

"PLEASURES  OF  MEMORY" 

THIS   BOOK   IS   RESPECTFULLY   INSCRIBED 


Journeys  are  memoried  in  light  or  shade  ; 

This  one  in  sunlight,  when,  by  chance, 

Strangers  to  most,  all  ages  and  all  whims, 

We  for  a  fortnight  sojourned  far  from  home  ; 

A  memory,  where  the  heart  and  eye 

Replete,  lie  still  and  dream  again. 

God  gave  the  view — a  human  heart  the  feast. 

What  star  of  fortune  brought  our  lives 

In  happy  contact  ?     Here  we  trace 

The  secret  of  our  rare  content — 

The  outline  of  each  happy  day. 

B.  H.  S. 


a  ftrip  to  tbe  IRocMes. 


FOR  three  months — since  my  first  visit  to  Kansas 
in  June  last — the  anticipation  of  another  visit 
had  been  uppermost  in  many  minds. 
The  writer  was  authorized  by  Mr.  Blanchard  to  select 
a  party  of  bankers  and  business  men  of  New  York  and 
Brooklyn  to  attend  the  annual  convention  of  the 
* '  American  Bankers'  Association, "  to  be  held  in 
Kansas  City,  September  24th  and  25th.  To  add  to  the 
growing  interest,  already  manifested  in  the  trip  by  the 
elect,  a  telegram  was  received,  as  follows  :  ' '  Hutchin- 
son,  Kansas,  July  23d.  Bach  guest  will  have  a  section, 
and  is  cordially  invited  to  bring  his  wife. — Ben  Blan- 
chard. ' '  This  telegram  was  the  keystone  to  the  arch. 
Had  the  Pullman  Company  been  able  to  furnish  a 
larger  car,  our  number  would  have  been  doubled.  As 
the  car  was  too  long  to  go  over  the  B.  &  O.,  via  Wash- 
ington, Harper's  Ferry,  and  Cumberland  Gap,  on 
account  of  the  short  curves,  we  went  via  Pennsylvania 
through  Harrisburg,  Johnstown,  and  Altoona. 

7 


Crip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


The  ever- watchful  reporter  was  on  hand,  and  the 
following  description  from  the  Brooklyn  Standard- 
Union  was  a  very  good  report  of  our  car  and  company 
as  we  left  Jersey  City,  September  23d. 

' '  A  large  party  of  Brooklyn! tes  crossed  Fulton 
Ferry  early  this  morning,  most  of  the  men  carrying 
gripsacks  and  the  ladies  satchels.  It  was  evidently  a 
party  of  tourists  ;  and  the  wide-awake  wage-workers, 
who  were  crossing  the  ferry  at  the  same  time,  recog- 
nizing some  of  the  best-known  people  of  the  '  City  of 
Churches  '  in  the  party,  wondered  what  was  going  on. 
They  dismissed  the  subject  from  their  minds  eventually, 
arriving  at  the  conclusion  that  they  were  a  small  party 
off  on  a  little  pleasure  trip.  In  one  respect  they  were 
right.  The  party  was  off  on  a  pleasure  trip,  but  it  was 
not  a  little  one.  In  fact  it  was  a  very  large  one,  and 
the  Standard-  Union  reporter  learned  all  the  particulars. 
He  ascertained  that  the  American  Bankers'  Associa- 
tion hold  their  annual  convention  at  Kansas  City  on 
Wednesday  and  Thursday  next,  and  the  party  who 
started  from  Brooklyn  were  bound  for  there.  Among 
the  party  were  Ben  Blanchard,  President  of  the  Empire 
Loan  and  Trust  Company,  of  Hutchinson,  Kan. ;  Hon. 
Darwin  R.  James  and  Mrs.  James  ;  Hon.  John  Jay 
Knox,  President  Bank  of  the  Republic,  late  Comp- 
troller U.  S.  Currency,  accompanied  by  his  two 
daughters,  Miss  Carrie  and  Miss  Bessie  Knox  ;  Edward 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


Merritt,  President  Long  Island  Loan  and  Trust  Com- 
pany, and  Mrs.  Merritt ;  Hon.  D.  O.  Bradley,  President 
Tarry  town  National  Bank,  and  Mrs.  Bradley  ;  Capt. 
Ambrose  Snow,  President  New  York  Board  of  Trade  ; 
Frank  W.  Shaw,  M.D.;  Crowell  Hadden,  President 
Long  Island  Bank,  and  Mrs.  Hadden  ;  Miss  Louise 
I.  Shannon,  Miss  Jeanie  S.  Corwin,  Miss  Jennie  S. 
Brush ;  Major  B.  R.  Corwin,  Eastern  Manager  Empire 
Loan  and  Trust  Co.,  and  Mrs.  Corwin,  and  others. 

"  They  went  in  Mr.  Blanchard's  special  car,  the  Dal- 
matia,  which  was  attached  to  the  fast  express  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad.  The  elegant  car  was  most 
magnificently  decorated  with  silk  flags  and  flowers,  and 
every  possible  provision  was  made  for  not  only  the 
comfort  but  royal  entertainment  of  the  tourists.  An 
excellent  library,  beautiful  portfolios,  dainty  note-books 
bound  in  Russian  leather,  checkers,  chess,  dominos, 
and  other  games,  and  in  fact  every  thing  that  could 
possibly  be  thought  of  to  fan  the  leaden  wings  of  time, 
were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  party.  One  of  the 
sets  of  dominos  that  were  in  the  car  was  made  of 
genuine  shell  pearl,  and  is  the  costliest  set  in  the  coun- 
try. They  are  the  property  of  Mr.  Blanchard,  and 
have  accompanied  him  on  thousands  of  miles  of  jour- 
neys. The  flag  decoration  of  the  car  was  done  by 
Fred  Aldridge,  of  this  city,  and  the  floral  decorations 
by  Florist  Weir,  of  Clinton  Street.  The  party  left 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


Jersey  City  at  9  o'clock  this  morning,  expecting  to 
arrive  at  St.  Louis  Tuesday  evening,  and  Kansas  City 
Wednesday  morning." 

As  our  party  entered  the  ' '  Dalmatia ' '  there  were 
expressions  of  delight  from  all.  It  was  a  perfect  bower 
of  roses.  We  laid  aside  our  wraps,  had  a  moment  to 
say  good-bye  to  friends  and  then  our  train  rolled  out  of 
the  depot  and  rushed  on  westward  bound. 

We  were  very  much  disappointed  that  E.  H.  Pullen, 
Esq.,  Cashier  of  the  Bank  of  the  Republic,  and  Mrs. 
Pullen  could  not  go  with  us, — we  could  not  have  both 
the  president  and  chief  executive  officer.  We  would 
have  included  Asst.  Cashier  Stout  if  possible.  James 
P.  Stearns,  Esq.,  Cashier  of  the  Shawmut  National 
Bank  of  Boston,  and  Mrs.  Stearns,  and  John  A.  Nex- 
sen,  Esq.,  Cashier  of  the  Fulton  Bank  of  Brooklyn, 
and  Mrs.  Nexsen,  General  C.  T.  Christensen  and  Mrs. 
Christensen,  Wm.  H.  Hazzard,  Esq.,  President  of  the 
Fulton  Bank  of  Brooklyn,  and  Mrs.  Hazzard,  and 
Mark  W.  Stevens,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Schoharie 
County  Bank,  and  Mrs.  Stevens,  were  among  the  in- 
vited guests,  and  were  detained  by  circumstances  that 
could  not  be  controlled. 

The  day  was  beautiful.  Our  party  were  charmed 
with  their  surroundings.  The  morning  hours  vanished 
all  too  soon,  and  lunch  was  announced.  It  was 
our  first  introduction  to  the  cuisine  of  the  ' '  Dal- 


B  Grip  to  tbc  IRocfcies  n 

matia,"  and  one  that  will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 
Speeding  along  at  sixty  miles  an  hour,  seated  in  a  lux- 
uriantly appointed  vestibuled  Pullman  palace  car,  sur- 
rounded by  a  party  of  congenial  friends,  enjoying  a 
lunch  second  to  none,  is  an  experience  peculiarly  well 
fitted  to  make  one  in  good  humor  with  himself  and  all 
the  world. 

At  Philadelphia  the  railroad  officials  met  us  at  the 
depot  to  see  if  any  thing  had  been  forgotten  that  would 
add  to  our  comfort. 

The  afternoon  flew  away  from  us  fully  as  fast  as  we 
were  flying  from  New  York.  Dinner  was  called.  Such 
a  dinner  !  We  spent  over  two  hours  enjoying  it,  and 
only  stopped  to  take  a  view  of  the  ruins  of  Johnstown. 
It  was  dark,  but  the  electric  lights  and  the  many  torches 
of  the  workmen  gave  us  a  weird  view  of  the  desolation 
never  to  be  forgotten.  We  crossed  the  Stone  Bridge  of 
dreadful  memories  safely,  and  soon  after  retired  to  our 
comfortable  sleeping  apartments,  and  slept  soundly 
while  we  continued  our  journey  at  undiminished  speed. 

At  Indianapolis  we  were  met  by  the  General  Pas- 
senger Agent  of  the  Bee  Line,  who  extended  to  us 
every  courtesy.  After  holding  the  train  nearly  an  hour 
for  us,  that  we  might  get  a  glimpse  of  Indiana's  capi- 
tal, he  gave  us  a  rapid  run  to  Terre  Haute  at  a  mile  a 
minute  gait.  After  a  beautiful  day  we  ran  into  a 
heavy  shower  just  as  the  lights  of  St.  Louis  came  into 


12  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfea 


view  across  the  Father  of  Waters.  After  crossing  the 
wonderful  structure  over  the  Mississippi,  second  only 
to  the  Brooklyn  bridge,  we  rolled  into  the  St.  Louis 
Union  Depot  exactly  on  time.  ' '  What  crowds  of  peo- 
ple ! ' '  was  the  exclamation  from  each  of  our  party.  The 
General  Agent  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  came 
with  us  from  Indianapolis  and  had  our  car  attached  at 
once  to  the  fast  express  on  this  favorite  line  to  Kansas 
City.  After  a  second  night's  refreshing  sleep,  morn- 
ing found  us  steaming  into  the  city  five  minutes  ahead 
of  time. 

We  were  to  attend  the  convention  of  the  American 
Bankers'  Association.  At  the  depot  we  were  met  by 
the  committee,  ex-Governor  Crittenden,  and  leading 
bankers.  The  convention  was  large,  and  its  discus- 
sions were  interesting. 

The  most  important  topic  for  consideration  before 
the  Association  was  the  proposition  to  substitute  Silver 
Certificates  for  "Legal-Tender  and  National  Bank 
Notes."  The  speech  of  ex- Comptroller  John  Jay 
Knox,  who  was  one  of  our  party,  was  unanswerable, 
and  should  be  recorded  as  an  incident  of  our 
journey.  We  say,  like  the  boy  blowing  the  organ 
to  the  professor  at  the  key-board  :  ' '  We  did  that 
nicely,  sir." 

' '  The  proposition  of  Mr.  St.  John  involves  the  with- 
drawal of  the  legal-tender  notes,  the  disbursement  of 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfetes  13 


the  $100,000,000  of  gold,  pledged  as  security  for  the 
redemption  of  these  notes,  the  increased  issue  of  silver 
coinage  and  of  silver  certificates  from  $2,000,000  worth 
to  $4,000,000  per  month,  and  finally  the  giving  of  these 
silver  certificates  the  quality  of  legal  tender. 

' '  Mr.  St.  John,  we  all  know,  is  sincere,  is  honest  in 
the  advocacy  of  his  opinions  ;  but  to  me  it  is  as  clear 
as  the  light  of  day,  that  every  one  of  these  propositions 
is  unwise  and  impracticable,  if  not  grievously,  flagrant- 
ly wrong.  Do  the  gentlemen  of  the  convention  know 
that  the  proposition  giving  the  legal-tender  quality  to 
circulating  notes  was  discussed  by  the  people  of  this 
country  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution ; 
and  that  it  was,  perhaps,  the  most  difficult  question  that 
was  considered  by  the  Fathers  in  the  convention  that 
prepared  and  finally  adopted  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States. 

' '  The  question  involves  such  serious,  such  far-reach- 
ing consequences  that  its  discussion  has  been  avoided 
by  all  the  great  financiers,  by  all  the  public  men  of  this 
country  from  the  outset.  From  time  to  time  it  has 
been  brought  before  Congress  and  laid  aside  as  im- 
practicable and  unwise,*  but  finally  placed  upon  the 
statute-book,  not  as  a  measure  of  choice,  not  because 

*  "  United  States  Notes.  A  History  of  the  Various  Issues  of 
the  Paper  Money  of  the  United  States."  Chas.  Scribner's  Sons, 
New  York,  third  edition,  1888,  pp.  16,  33,  43,  117,  216. 


14  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


any  considerable  number  of  members  of  Congress  be- 
lieved in  it,  but  because  they  reluctantly  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  was  a  measure  necessary  to  provide 
for  carrying  on  a  civil  war  unequalled  in  the  history  of 
nations. 

"  Does  this  convention  propose  to  decide  in  an  hour 
or  a  day,  a  new  question  of  legal  tender  when  it  is 
known  that  the  original  proposition  has  been  under 
consideration  ever  since  the  organization  of  this  gov- 
ernment, and  finally  passed  only  as  a  means  of  salva- 
tion in  the  midst  of  a  great  war  ?  Does  this  convention 
in  a  moment  propose  to  consider  and  decide  a  new 
question  of  legal  tender,  when  it  is  known  that  the 
original  question  was  before  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States  for  consideration  for  weeks  and 
months  ?  The  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
presumed  to  be  composed  of  the  greatest  men  in  this 
country  and  of  the  greatest  jurists  of  these  times,  have 
twice  reversed  their  own  judgment  on  this  subject. 
First,  they  decided  that  the  legal-tender  act  was  un- 
constitutional ;  secondly,  they  decided  that  the  con- 
stitutionality of  the  legal-tender  notes  was  based  upon 
the  war  powers  of  Congress  ;  and  their  third  decision — 
to  the  surprise  of  the  country — was  that  Congress  has 
power  to  issue  legal-tender  circulating  notes  to  an 
unlimited  extent  in  time  of  peace  as  well  as  in  time 
of  war. 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfciee 


' '  The  legal-tender  note  which  we  have  is  a  promise  to 
pay.  It  is  a  promise  to  pay  one  hundred  cents  in  gold, 
and  every  man  in  and  out  of  Congress  knows  that  it  is 
a  promise  to  pay  one  hundred  cents  in  gold,  and  also 
that  we  have  held  almost  from  the  date  of  the  issue  of 
the  legal-tender  note  to  the  present  time  $100,000,000 
of  gold  in  the  Treasury  with  which  to  pay  or  redeem 
these  notes.  This  $100,000,000  of  gold  was  first  set 
aside  for  that  purpose  by  a  Republican  Administra- 
tion, but  subsequently  by  a  Democratic  Administration, 
so  that  both  of  the  great  parties  of  the  country  are 
thoroughly  committed  to  it.  First,  a  Republican  Ad- 
ministration has  set  aside  this  $100,000,000  in  the 
Treasury  sacred  for  the  purpose  of  redeeming  every 
dollar  of  legal-tender  paper  money  which  may  be 
presented  for  payment.  Secondly,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  Daniel  Manning,  and  Conrad 
N.  Jordan,  the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States, 
devised  a  new  system  of  debt  statement.  The  Treas- 
ury statement  prepared  by  John  Sherman  was  not 
satisfactory  to  the  Democratic  Administration  of  Presi- 
dent Cleveland.  For  that  reason  his  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  and  his  Treasurer  of  the  United  States 
devised  a  new  statement,  and  took  this  $100,000,000 
out  of  the  general  fund  in  which  it  was  placed  by  their 
predecessors,  thus  proclaiming  to  all  the  world  that  it 
was  not  to  be  even  thought  of  as  available  for  general 


16  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


expenditures  thereafter,  but  was  to  be  left  there  as  a 
sacred  fund  in  gold  to  be  paid  to  every  man  in  this  coun- 
try upon  the  presentation  of  these  legal-tender  notes. 

' '  And  what  now  does  the  gentleman  propose  to  sub- 
stitute for  these  legal-tender  notes  which  are  secured  * 

*  March  18,  1869.  An  Act  was  passed  in  which  the  United 
States  "solemnly  pledges  its  faith  to  make  provision  at  the 
earliest  possible  period  for  the  redemption  of  United  States 
notes  in  coin." 

Quotation  from  Act  of  Congress,  approved  January  14,  1875  : 

"And  on  and  after  the  first  day  of  January,  Anno  Domini 
eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury shall  redeem,  in  coin  of  the  United  States  legal-tender 
notes,  then  outstanding,  on  their  presentation  for  redemption 
at  the  office  of  the  Assistant  Treasurer  of  the  United  States  in 
the  City  of  New  York,  in  sums  of  not  less  than  fifty  dollars. 
And  to  enable  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  prepare  and 
provide  for  the  redemption  in  this  Act  authorized  or  required, 
he  is  authorized  to  use  any  surplus  revenues,  from  time  to  time, 
in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  and  to  issue,  sell, 
and  dispose  of,  at  not  less  than  par,  in  coin,  either  of  the  de- 
scription of  bonds  of  the  United  States  described  in  the  Act 
of  Congress  approved  July  fourteenth,  eighteen  hundred  and 
seventy,  entitled  '  An  Act  to  Authorize  the  Re-Funding  of  the 
National  Debt,'  with  like  qualities,  privileges,  and  exemptions 
to  the  extent  necessary  to  carry  this  Act  into  full  effect,  and  to 
use  the  proceeds  thereof  for  the  purpose  aforesaid." 

An  Act  to  provide  for  the  resumption  of  specie  payments, 
approved  January,  14,  1875. 

Bxtract  from  Section  12,  Act  of  July  12,  1882  : 

"  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  shall  suspend  the  issue 
of  such  gold  certificates  whenever  the  amount  of  gold  coin  and 
gold  bullion  in  the  Treasury  reserved  for  the  redemption  of  the 
United  States  notes  falls  below  $  100,000,000." 

Act  approved  July  12,  1882. 


£rlp  to  tbe  IRocfctes  17 


not  only  by  $100,000,000  of  gold,  but  by  your  property 
and  my  property,  and  by  the  property  of  every  citizen, 
by  the  resources  of  the  whole  country.  What  does  he 
propose  to  substitute  for  this  promise  to  pay  ?  This 
promise  made  by  this  great  nation,  which  it  is  bound  to 
keep  or  be  disgraced,  as  you  or  I  would  be  disgraced 
if  we  should  not  meet  our  obligations  ?  He  pro- 
poses to  substitute  warehouse  receipts  —  these  are  his 
words,  not  mine  —  warehouse  receipts,  which  he  him- 
self acknowledges  to-day  to  have  an  intrinsic  value 
of  but  7  1  1  cents. 

'  '  He  proposes  a  new  doctrine,  never  before  heard  of 
either  in  or  out  of  Congress,  to  make,  not  a  promise  to 
pay  (of  the  nation)  a  legal  tender,  but  what  he  calls  a 
silver  warehouse  receipt,  a  legal  tender,  which  you 
and  I  shall  be  forced  to  take  in  full  payment  no  matter 
what  may  be  its  value. 

"  This  is  a  new  doctrine,  gentlemen  ;  it  is  a  doctrine 
that  we  should  go  slow  about  ;  that  should  be  well  con- 
sidered by  the  best  financial  minds  of  this  country.  I 
venture  to  say  that  if  it  goes  before  Congress  it  will  not 
be  decided  in  one  session  ;  it  will  not  get  out  of  the 
hands  of  committee  in  one  session  ;  it  involves  the  finan- 
cial history  of  this  country  from  the  time  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  down  to  the  present  date.  Gentlemen  who 
suppose  that  they  can,  upon  hearing  one  paper  read  with 
a  few  figures,  come  to  an  intelligent  conclusion  upon 


is  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


the  subject,  deceive  themselves.  Such  a  subject  should 
be  considered  seriously  in  all  its  bearings,  and  if  so  con- 
sidered, mark  my  words,  it  will  be  declined. 

' '  Furthermore,  what  else  does  this  proposition  seek 
to  do? 

' '  The  proposition  is  that  we  shall  issue  certificates 
which  the  gentleman  calls  warehouse  receipts,  based 
upon  a  silver  dollar  now  worth  71^  cents,  and  then 
keep  on  buying  silver  bullion  until  it  advances  28 
cents  on  the  dollar,  making  the  dollar  worth  intrinsi- 
cally 99^  cents. 

' '  Was  any  merchant  in  the  history  of  the  world  ever 
known  to  go  into  the  market  and  buy  wheat  or  corn  or 
oats,  or  any  marketable  property,  and  to  continue  to  buy 
it  day  in  and  day  out,  week  in  and  week  out,  month  in 
and  month  out,  year  in  and  year  out,  upon  a  rising 
market  created  by  himself  !  We  have  all  heard  of 
corners  in  stock  in  New  York,  and  corners  in  wheat  in 
Chicago,  where  speculators  not  infrequently  raise  the 
price  of  stocks  or  of  wheat  to  a  high  and  false  value  by 
a  trick,  and  then  oblige  other  people  to  buy  their  accu- 
mulation at  fictitious  value  in  order  to  fulfil  their  con- 
tracts !  But  no  man  ever  before  heard  of  an  individual 
or  a  nation  making  a  corner  upon  himself  or  itself  and 
obliging  himself  or  the  nation  to  buy  other  people's  com- 
modities at  high  and  false  values  created  by  the  pur- 
chaser !  Gentlemen,  do  you  propose  to  do  this  foolish 
thing  ?  I  hope  not.  This  Convention  of  Bankers  has 


£rtp  to  tbe  IRocfcies  19 


from  the  beginning  shown  itself  to  be  a  conservative 
body  on  all  these  questions.  I  beg  you  to  remain  con- 
servative. L,et  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  con- 
sider these  subjects  and  take  the  responsibility.  I  know 
of  no  question  that  has  ever  been  introduced  here  and 
sent  to  Congress  for  consideration  of  which  I  would  be 
ashamed.  But  it  is  not  for  us  to  say  that  we  can  com- 
prehend in  an  hour  these  great  questions  of  legal  tender 
which  the  Supreme  Court  has  taken  years  to  consider. 
And  I  hope  their  last  decision  will  not  long  hence  be 
again  reversed  by  a  new  court  that  may  arise.  I  believe 
with  George  Bancroft,*  that  some  day  or  other  it  will  be 
reversed,  and  that  it  will  be  held  that  legal  tender  is  a 
thing  to  be  issued  in  time  of  war  only.  Kings  and 
crowns  have  clipped  the  dollar  ;  they  have  cut  it  down 
one  half  and  two  thirds  and  three  fourths.  Nobody  but 
tyrants  can  force  a  poor  man  to  take  70  cents  for  100 
cents  in  gold,  or  30  cents,  or  any  sum  less  than  100  cents 
exactly.  Gentlemen,  I  entreat  you  to  go  slow  on  this 
subject.  Nothing  is  lost  by  a  little  time.  You  might 
not  decide  in  a  day  a  transaction  involving  but  $10,000 
in  your  own  banks.  You  would  not  decide  in  an 
hour  unless  you  knew  every  thing  about  the  subject. 
lyet  us  consider  these  four  great  propositions  wisely  and 
diligently,  and  then  be  able  to  give  an  intelligent  reason 
for  our  decision." 

*  A   Plea  for  the   Constitution.     George  Bancroft.     Harper 
&  Brothers.     1886. 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


Mr.  Knox  was  frequently  applauded.  Then  Mr. 
Sneed  again  came  forward.  "  Gentlemen,"  he  re- 
marked, "  I  had  not  intended  to  say  any  thing  more 
on  this  subject ;  I  am  not  going  to  make  a  speech. 
But  my  friend  Mr.  Knox,  known  to  all  as  a  man  of  the 
very  highest  character — 1and  I  say  that  there  is  no  man 
among  those  who  compose  this  body  for  whom  I  have 
a  higher  regard  ;  I  have  served  with  him  in  these  con- 
ventions since  their  organization  ;  I  know  him  not  only 
to  be  fair  and  generous  and  just,  but  he  is  more,  he  is 
a  man — and  I  say  it  without  disparagement  to  any 
other  man  in  this  convention — who  has  given  this 
subject  and  other  subjects  of  finance  his  most  careful 
consideration.  But  we  are  all  inclined  to  run  in  a 
groove  ;  it  is  natural.  And  I  believe  that  Mr.  Knox  is 
just  as  honest  in  his  view  on  this  question  as  I  am  in 
mine.  But  Mr.  Knox  is  a  monometallist.  Mr.  Knox 
believes  there  ought  to  be  but  one  coin,  and  that  gold. 
Now  a  great  many,  and  very  great  many  men  in  this 
country  believe  that;  but  I  tell  you,  gentlemen,  the 
time  will  come — 

Mr.  Knox  :  "  If  the  gentleman  will  allow  me,  I  wish 
to  make  the  statement  that  I  am  not  a  monometallist  in 
the  sense  which  he  means.  I  wish  to  remain  on  the 
gold  standard,  but  nevertheless  I  am  willing  to  agree 
to  as  free  a  use  of  silver  as  possible,  while  still  maintain- 
ing that  standard.  I  am  willing  to  increase  the  coinage 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes  21 


of  silver  from  $2,000,000  to  $2,500,000  per  month.  But 
I  want  the  silver  certificates  which  are  based  on  the 
silver  dollars  to  always  remain  so  close  to  the  value  of 
the  gold  dollar  that  no  man,  rich  or  poor,  can  hereafter 
lose  any  thing  by  their  depreciation. 

' '  I  want  this  silver  certificate  to  be  always  worth 
100  cents  in  gold.  I  believe  in  a  single  gold 
standard,  supplemented  by  the  use  of  all  the  silver 
dollars  that  can  be  kept  at  par  in  gold.  This  is  not 
monometallism  in  the  sense  used  by  the  gentleman, 
who  would  give  the  impression  that  I  am  against  the 
use  of  any  silver  whatever. 

' '  I  have  therefore  introduced  a  resolution  providing 
that  hereafter  in  the  issue  of  silver  certificates,  such 
certificates  shall  be  secured  by  silver  bullion  worth  in 
the  market  100  cents  on  the  dollar.  So  long  as  we 
remain  upon  the  gold  standard,  so  long  as  the  present 
legal-tender  silver-dollar  coin  remains  worth  100  cents, 
these  silver-bullion  certificates  will  be  redeemable  with 
the  standard-silver  dollar.  But  if  we  suspend  gold  pay- 
ment then  the  standard-silver  dollar  will  decline  in 
value,  and  in  that  event  the  holder  of  these  silver- 
bullion  certificates  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  the  full 
face  value  of  these  certificates  in  silver  bullion  at  its 
market  value.  Use  both  gold  and  silver  for  our  cur- 
rency, but  maintain  the  silver  dollar  at  par  with  the 
gold  dollar.  I  want  to  keep  the  two  metals  as  close 


22  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


together  as  possible,  so  that  a  man  who  has  debts  to 
pay  can  pay  them  in  gold  value  ;  and  you,  gentlemen, 
who  have  money  loaned  out  can  receive  back  in  pay- 
ment an  equivalent  to  a  dollar  in  gold.  This  is  my 
proposition  ;  these  are  my  views. 

' '  I  wish  all  the  bankers  of  the  country  to  be  able  to 
pay  their  depositors,  like  honest  men,  in  the  same  coin 
which  they  have  received  ;  or,  at  least,  to  return  them 
the  value  of  the  money  which  they  received  on  deposit. 

' '  The  issue  of  silver  certificates  hereafter  based  on 
their  bullion  value  will  prevent,  without  the  possibility 
of  doubt,  loss  to  either  debtor  or  creditor. 

' '  I  thank  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky  for  giving 
me  the  opportunity  for  expressing  my  views  upon  the 
resolution  which  I  presented  to  the  convention.  I  in- 
tended to  have  made  this  explanation  at  the  outset,  but 
these  remarks  upon  the  resolution  were  inadvertently 
omitted." 

It  is  proper  to  say  that  the  proposition  under  consid- 
eration was  subsequently  considered  by  the  Executive 
Council  of  the  American  Banking  Association,  to 
whom  it  was  referred,  and  resulted  in  a  vote  of  1 6  to  3 
against  the  measure.  The  report  of  the  Council  can 
be  obtained  upon  application  to  the  Association. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  his  very  able  and 
interesting  report  just  issued  (December,  1889),  proposes 


{Trip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes  23 


to  issue  certificates  based  upon  the  market  value  of 
silver.  He  declined  to  recommend  that  these  certifi- 
cates should  be  a  legal  tender  between  individuals,  and 
believed  that  such  an  issue  would  be  unconstitutional. 
He  said  :  ' '  While  our  circulation  now  embraces  gold 
and  silver  coin  and  four  kinds  of  paper  money,  there  is 
in  reality,  since  1873,  but  one  standard.  Section  3,511, 
Revised  Statutes,  provides  that  '  the  gold  coin  of  the 
United  States  shall  be  a  one  dollar  piece,  which  at  the 
standard  weight  of  25.8  grains  shall  be  the  unit  of 
value.'  .  .  .  Our  legal-tender  notes  have  behind 
them,  in  the  vaults  of  the  Treasury,  a  reserve  of 
$100,000,000  in  gold  provided  as  a  guarantee  for  their 
redemption.  Our  bank  currency  is  based  upon  United 
States  bonds,  the  principal  and  interest  of  which  are 
payable  in  gold.  Our  gold  certificates  are  expressly 
made  redeemable  in  gold  coin." 

Kansas  City  is  the  first  point  of  interest  west  of  St. 
Louis,  just  on  the  border  line  between  Missouri  and  Kan- 
sas, situated  on  the  Missouri  side,  but  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  fact  that  the  city  is  built  by,  for,  and  from 
the  products  of  the  "  Sunflower  State,"  it  was  named 
Kansas  City.  The  growth  and  prosperity  of  this  city 
is  phenomenal.  The  immense  stores,  packing  houses, 
and  railroads — steam,  cable,  elevated,  and  horse-car 
lines, — all  combined  to  amaze  us  beyond  expression.  It 


24  a  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 

is  difficult  to  convince  a  New  Yorker  that  there  is  any 
thing  solid  west  of  the  Hudson  River.  We  found  sub- 
stantial prosperity  west  of  the  Missouri.  Kansas  City 
hotels  are  not  surpassed  in  this  country.  Our  host  had 
secured  for  the  party  elegant  rooms  and  parlors  at  the 
Coates  House  ;  but  to  give  us  evidence  that  ' '  The 
Coates  "  was  not  the  only  first-class  hotel  in  the  city,  he 
invited  us  to  breakfast  and  dine  at  ' '  The  Midland. ' ' 
We  were  served  in  the  private  dining-room.  Would 
any  of  us  decline  a  breakfast  like  that  served  on  Wed- 
nesday morning,  Sept.  25,  1889,  at  the  Midland  Hotel  ? 
After  two  full  days  of  enjoyment  and  sight-seeing  we 
returned  to  our  house  on  wheels,  and  retired  to  rest, 
realizing  that  we  should  be  transported  during  our 
sleep  to  another  city  and  another  State — Kansas, — one 
of  the  youngest  of  the  sisterhood  of  States,  and  also 
one  of  the  seven  surplus-producing  agricultural  States 
of  the  Union. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  us  ample  opportunity  to 
witness  the  growth  of  Kansas  in  material  wealth  and 
moral  power,  Mr.  Blanchard  invited  us  to  make  a 
careful  inspection  and  tour  of  the  State,  and  see  for 
ourselves  if  its  prosperity  and  wonderful  resources 
had  been  fully  stated,  or  even  approximately  under- 
stood, by  the  bankers  and  business  men  of  New  York. 

Friday  morning  the  sun  rose  bright  and  clear.  It 
found  our  car  on  the  side  track  commanding  a  magnifi- 


B  Crip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  25 

cent  view  of  one  of  the  finest  boulevards  of  Topeka, 
the  capital  of-  this  great  prohibition  State.  We  had 
hardly  finished  breakfast  when  eight  elegant  carriages 
dashed  up  to  the  car.  In  a  few  moments  we  were 
being  rapidly  driven  up  the  boulevard  to  the  Hotel 
Throop,  where  we  were  welcomed  by  manager  Doo- 
little,  a  friend  of  Mr.  Blanchard.  After  being  shown 
to  our  rooms,  we  again  entered  our  carriages  and  were 
treated  to  a  most  enjoyable  drive  through  the  principal 
streets  and  avenues  of  this  most  beautiful  city.  After 
calling  at  the  principal  banks  we  returned  to  our  pala- 
tial quarters  at  the  Hotel  Throop,  where  we  were 
honored  with  a  call  by  a  special  committee  from  the 
Board  of  Trade. 

The  Hotel  Throop  is  sufficient  evidence  that  pro- 
hibition does  not  damage  the  business  of  a  first-class 
hotel.  Mrs.  James  questioned  the  driver  of  her  car- 
riage, a  very  bright  and  intelligent  man,  and  his 
testimony  was  positive  in  favor  of  prohibition  as  a 
benefit  to  his  business. 

Hon.  D.  O.  Bradley  interviewed  the  superintendent 
of  police.  The  testimony  from  the  police  department 
showed  a  decrease  in  the  number  of  arrests  by  the 
police  of  the  city  of  Topeka.  For  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember, 1889,  they  were  only  one  half  the  number  for 
September,  1882,  with  double  the  population  in  1889. 

Mr.  Doolittle  had  prepared  for  us  a  special  menu. 


26  21  {Trip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


The  banquet  room  and  tables  were  most  elegantly  dec- 
orated with  beautiful  flowers.  We  were  so  taken  up 
with  the  attractions  of  the  table  that  the  hours  passed 
by  unheeded.  The  telephone  recalled  us  to  the  stern 
realities  of  life  by  announcing  that  our  car  was  attached 
to  the  Westbound  "  Thunderbolt  "  and  that  train  of 
thirteen  coaches  crowded  with  through  passengers  was 
awaiting  our  presence  in  the  ' '  Dalmatia. ' '  We  hurried 
to  our  carriages  and  were  driven  at  full  speed  to  our  car, 
and  before  we  had  hardly  recovered  our  breath  Topeka 
had  vanished  and  the  broad  prairie  was  in  sight. 

The  whole  afternoon  was  spent  in  watching  the 
panorama  of  cities  and  towns,  farms  and  ranches, 
creeks  and  rivers,  as  we  rushed  by  them.  For  nearly 
the  whole  distance  between  Topeka  and  Kmporia  we 
passed  through  one  of  the  great  coal-fields  of  Kansas. 
After  leaving  Emporia  and  the  noted  limestone  quar- 
ries of  Strong  City,  our  path  lay  through  an  almost 
continuous  field  of  corn,  until  we  reached  the  thriving 
city  of  Newton.  After  a  moment's  stop  we  rushed  on 
through  wheat,  corn,  and  oats  until  the  famous  Ar- 
kansas Valley  was  reached,  and  Hutchinson  loomed 
in  view.  Our  car  was  soon  on  the  house  track,  and 
we  found  a  large  company  awaiting  to  welcome  us, 
among  whom  were  :  S.  W.  Campbell,  Esq.,  President 
First  National  Bank  ;  John  L,owry ,  Esq. ,  President 
Iowa  Town  Company  ;  George  S.  Bourne,  Esq., 


B  Grip  to  tbc  IRocfcies  27 


Treasurer  Empire  L,oan  and  Trust  Company  ;  J.  R. 
Pope,  Esq.,  Cashier  Valley  State  Bank  ;  F.  R.  Chris- 
man,  Esq.,  Cashier  People's  State  Bank  ;  Samuel 
Matthews,  Esq.;  Miles  Taylor,  Editor  Daily  News  ; 
E.  Iy.  Meyer,  Esq.,  Cashier  First  National  Bank  ;  W. 
T.  Atkinson,  Esq.,  Cashier  National  Bank  of  Com- 
merce ;  James  McKinstry ,  Esq. ,  Attorney  at  Law ; 
A.  J.  Lusk,  Esq.,  President  Hutchinson  Na- 
tional Bank  ;  W.  R.  Bennett,  Esq. ,  Vice-President 
Empire  lyoan  and  Trust  Company,  and  many  others. 
They  crowded  our  spacious  hotel  car,  and  introductions 
followed.  At  the  request  of  the  party,  presented  by  a 
committee  of  ladies,  Mr.  Knox  consented  to  deliver 
to  us  the  address  which  he  had  prepared  for  response 
to  the  toast,  "The  East,"  at  the  "  Bankers'  Banquet," 
of  the  American  Bankers'  Association,  at  Kansas  City. 
Did  orator  ever  have  a  more  unique  auditorium  or 
attentive  and  appreciative  audience  ? 

He  said :  "  No  American,  returning  home,  can  sail 
through  the  beautiful  harbor  and  bay  of  New  York 
without  experiencing  a  thrill  of  joy  and  pride  at  the 
unequalled  location  of  this  great  Eastern  city  and  the 
rapid  strides  with  which  it  attracts  and  combines  all 
the  elements  which  have  heretofore  formed  the  largest 
cities  of  the  world  !  The  Germans  drink  their  bumpers, 
at  home  and  abroad,  to  the  river  Rhine.  The  river 
Hudson  was  the  first  link  of  communication  between 


28  B  Crip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes 

the  East  and  the  West.  Eighty  years  or  rnore  ago 
our  fathers  celebrated  the  opening  of  the  Brie  Canal 
with  a  joy  unequalled  by  any  of  our  modern  celebra- 
tions. They  felt  that  the  Bast  and  the  West  were 
brought  more  closery  together  by  adding  this  second 
link  to  the  methods  of  transportation. 

' '  I  remember  when  a  boy  to  have  visited  the  cabin  of 
one  of  the  passenger  packets  of  the  Brie  Canal  at  night- 
fall. It  reminded  me  of  the  buttery  of  my  grand- 
mother in  the  country  on  the  farm,  which  was  a  long 
room  with  pans  of  milk  placed  on  shelves  on  either 
side,  with  a  narrow  passage  between.  In  this  cabin, 
instead  of  glistening  pans  of  milk,  the  passengers  were 
laid  to  sleep  upon  the  shelves.  Outside,  three  horses 
on  the  towpath  drew  the  boat,  and  upon  the  horses 
were  boys  to  guide  them.  Soon  after  nightfall  the 
boys  were  asleep,  the  horses  were  asleep,  and  if  the 
boat  had  been  called  c '  Somnambula, "  every  thing 
would  have  been  in  harmony  with  the  name  !  The 
passengers  were  three  weeks  making  the  journey  from 
New  York  to  Chicago  by  canal  and  the  lakes.  If  there 
was  a  storm  upon  the  lakes  there  was  danger  that  they 
might  never  reach  their  destination  !  Yet  our  fathers 
rejoiced  over  even  this  small  improvement  in  their 
means  of  transportation. 

' '  Within  a  few  months,  chiefly  by  the  employment  of 
Eastern  as  well  as  Western  Capital,  perfect  lines  of 
railroad  have  been  built  and  recent  improvements 


to  tbe  IRocfcies  29 


have  been  made,  which  have  so  shortened  the  distance 
between  Chicago  and  New  York  that  a  breakfast  can 
be  taken  in  New  York  and  upon  the  following  day 
repeated  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  Yet  so  blase  have  we 
become  that  this  perfect  system  of  transportation  has 
gone  into  effect  almost  without  public  acknowledgment. 
' '  The  Bast  and  the  West  then  have  reason  to  love 
the  beautiful  Hudson,  with  its  Palisades,  its  Catskill, 
its  West  Point,  and  its 

'  Villages  strewn  like  jewels  on  a  chain 
All  its  bright  length.' 

The  Mohawk  Valley  beyond,  excels  even  the  Hudson 
in  pastoral  beauty. 

'  Whole  miles  of  level  grain, 
With  leagues  of  meadow-land  and  pasture-field, 
Cover  its  surface  ;  gray  roads  wind  about, 
O'er  which  the  farmer's  wagon  clattering  rolls, 
And  the  red  mail-coach.     Bridges  cross  the  streams, 
Roofed,  with  great  spider-webs  of  beams  within. 
Homesteads  to  homesteads  flash  their  window-gleams, 
Like  friends  that  talk  by  language  of  the  eye. 
Upon  its  iron  strips  the  engine  shoots, 
That  half-tained  savage  with  its  boiling  heart 
And  flaming  veins,  its  warwhoop  and  its  plume. 
Swift  as  the  swallow  skims  that  engine  fleets 
Through  all  the  streaming  landscape  of  green  field 
And  lovely  village.     On  their  pillared  lines, 
Distances  flash  to  distances  their  thoughts, 
And  all  is  one  abode  of  all  the  joy 
And  happiness  that  civilization  yields  !  ' 


30  21  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


"  Out  from  the  Mohawk,  is  Saratoga,  and  delicious 
Lake  George,  and  beyond,  the  Adirondacks  with  its 
wealth  of  forest  and  beauty,  its  lofty  pine  trees  and  its 
loftiest  mountain  peak  which  we  call  Mt.  Marcy,  but 
which  our  Indian  Fathers  with  more  aptitude  named 
'  Ta  haw  us,' — '  He  splits  the  sky  ! '  Beyond  is  the 
glorious  St.  Lawrence  with  its  thousand  islands,  and 
Ontario  and  Erie  which  encircle  the  lands  of  the 
Onondagas,  the  Cayugas,  and  the  Senecas  with  their 
little  sparkling  lakes ;  and  between  our  own  confines 
and  the  border  of  Her  Majesty's  Dominions  is  that 
most  sublime  sentinel  of  the  whole  continent — grand 
old  Niagara  ! 

"The  Western  man,  more  frequently  than  the  Eastern, 
travels  throughout  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  appreciates  its  soil  and  climate,  its  wonderful 
resources  of  coal  and  iron,  and  its  commercial  city  of 
Philadelphia,  with  its  thousands  of  pleasant  homes  and 
its  hundreds  of  beautiful  industries.  Its  sister  states  of 
New  Jersey  and  Maryland  are  on  either  side  and  baby 
Delaware  between.  Baltimore  is  the  birthplace  of  the 
song  of  the  'Star-Spangled  Banner.'  If  there  are 
those  who  do  not  particularly  enjoy  the  scenery  of 
mountain  and  forest,  brook  and  river,  and  bay  and 
valley  of  these  Commonwealths,  there  is  no  one,  I  am 
sure,  who  does  not  love  the  fish  and  the  crabs  and  the 
oysters  and  the  canvas-back  duck  of  the  Chesapeake, 


£rfp  to  tbe  IRocfcies  31 


which  is  the  most  beautiful  and  bountiful  public  larder 
of  the  universe!  And  close  to  Baltimore  is  magnificent 
Washington,  the  capital  of  our  common  country.  In 
another  direction  to  the  east  is  Bunker  Hill  and  Boston 
Harbor  and  the  '  Hub,'  and  all  the  people  '  way 
down  Bast '  who  have  for  eighty  years  been  sending 
their  sons  to  the  West  to  found  great  commonwealths 
like  Kentucky  and  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois,  Minne- 
sota and  Kansas,  and  other  wonderful  States  like  those 
that  surround  us,  and  others  still  upon  the  more  and 
more  distant  frontier. 

' '  The  children  of  the  Bast  are  proud  of  the  Bast  and 
the  children  of  the  West  are  proud  of  the  West.  I  lived 
for  a  number  of  years  in  Minnesota  when  it  was  a  terri- 
tory, and  I  am  told  by  my  friends  that  I  made  the  Bastern 
people — to  use  a  slang  expression — '  tired  '  in  singing 
the  praises  of  the  land  of  the  Dakotas.  After  I  had 
located  myself  in  New  York,  upon  a  return  from  a  visit 
to  Minnesota  I  met  an  old  friend  in  Chicago  with  whom 
I  had  an  earnest  conversation  in  reference  to  the  rapid 
progress  of  the  West.  We  were  both  Western  men  in 
our  enthusiasm,  but  when  he  found  that  I  had  located  in 
New  York  he  expressed  his  dissatisfaction  by  saying  : 
1  New  York  !  Why,  in  a  few  years  New  York  will  be  to 
Chicago  what  Liverpool  is  to  London  ;  New  York,  like 
Liverpool,  will  be  the  seaport  town,  but  Chicago,  like 
London,  will  be  the  great  interior  city  !  '  His  sudden 


32  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes 


exclamation  nearly  took  me  from  my  feet,  but  when  I 
recovered  I  answered  him  as  earnestly  :  '  When  Chi- 
cago reaches  its  population  of  fifteen  hundred  thousand 
New  York  will  add  to  its  boundaries  a  few  of  its  suburbs 
like  Brooklyn  and  Jersey  City  and  Newark  and  Hobo- 
ken,  when  it  will  have  a  population  of  three  millions, 
and  give  Chicago  another  pull  of  half  a  century  ! ' 

' '  But  I  have  been  in  the  habit  for  years  of  visiting  the 
West  frequently,  in  order  to  watch  its  progress  and  study 
geography, — for  seeing  is  believing.  I  have  just  spent 
two  days  in  Chicago,  and  now  find  myself  for  the  first 
time  in  Kansas  City,  which  was  called  by  more  than  one 
person  in  Chicago  whom  I  met,  '  Chicago  No.  2  ! '  And 
I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  possibly  what  my 
enthusiastic  Chicago  friend  said,  and  what  I  heard  Gov- 
ernor Seward  also  say  in  the  city  of  St.  Paul  in  the  year 
1856,  is  true — '  that  somewhere  here,  in  the  State  of  Il- 
linois, the  State  of  Kansas,  or  the  State  of  Minnesota — 
somewhere  here  in  this  galaxy  of  States,  which  we  call 
the  Northwest,  there  will  be  built  a  great  interior  city, 
larger  than  any  of  our  seaport  towns. ' 

' '  The  Kastern  cities  will  however,  for  years  contest 
with  you  the  right  to  excel  them  in  population,  in  intel- 
ligence, and  in  wealth.  We  acknowledge  your  rapid 
progress.  We  know  that  forty  years  ago  Chicago  had 
just  begun  to  exist  and  that  many  of  your  other  cities 
were  unknown. 


Grip  to  tbc  IRocfcies  33 


"  But  while  you  have  been  growing  the  Bast  has 
grown  rapidly.  Take,  for  instance,  the  increase  in  bank 
corporations  and  banking  capital,  as  an  example.  The 
capital  and  surplus  of  the  banks  of  the  East  during  the 
last  thirty  years  have  greatly  increased.  The  increase 
in  their  deposits  in  the  last  twenty  years  has  been  with- 
out parallel  in  any  other  country.  There  has  been  an 
enormous  increase  in  the  deposits  of  savings-banks, 
which  are  properly  institutions  conducted  not  for  the 
benefit  of  the  shareholders,  but  solely  for  the  benefit  of 
the  depositors.  The  deposits  of  the  New  England  States 
in  savings-banks  were  but  43  millions  of  dollars  in  1852  ; 
in  1860,  but  148  millions  ;  they  are  now  more  than 
i ,  1 90  millions.  The  deposits  of  the  savings-banks  of  the 
State  of  New  York  in  1852  were  less  than  28  millions  ; 
they  are  now  505  millions.  The  capital  of  the  banks 
of  New  York  City  during  the  last  thirty  years  has  in- 
creased from  35  millions  to  80  millions,  and  a  surplus  of 
40  millions  has  been  accumulated.  The  loans  have  in- 
creased many  times,  and  the  individual  deposits  more 
than  seven  times,  while  the  bank  balances  have  in- 
creased in  much  greater  ratio.  Thirty  years  ago  there 
wras  no  clearing-house.  In  the  year  1854  the  ex- 
changes were  5,000  millions  ;  they  are  now  31,000 
millions.  The  daily  exchanges  were  19  millions  ;  they 
are  now  101  millions.  In  the  month  of  October  of  last 
year,  according  to  the  comptroller's  report,  there  was 


?4  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRochies 


an  increase  of  469  millions  over  the  previous  year  in 
the  exchanges  at  the  clearing-houses  of  the  United 
States,  of  which  increase  215  millions  was  in  New 
York,  84  millions  in  Boston,  35  millions  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  56  millions  in  Chicago.  From  a  slip  cut 
from  the  Chicago  Tribune  on  my  way  to  this  city,  I 
find  that  the  gross  exchanges  of  the  clearing-houses  of 
the  United  States  on  September  21,  1889,  was  1,044 
millions,  of  which  663  millions  was  in  the  city  of  New 
York  and  381  millions  outside  of  New  York.  This  slip 
contains  returns  from  the  clearing-houses  of  fifty  differ- 
ent cities,  including  all  the  larger  cities.  The  clearings 
of  the  city  of  Boston  were  $82,000,000,  of  Philadelphia 
$74,000,000,  of  Chicago  $69,000,000,  of  St.  L,ouis  $20,- 
000,000,  and  of  Kansas  City  $9,000,000. 

"  In  the  year  1861  I  compiled  a  table  showing  at  a 
glance  the  total  receipts  of  the  national  banks  on  two 
different  days,  and  the  proportion  of  these  receipts  by 
the  banks  in  the  various  cities.  These  returns  show 
that  while  the  total  receipts  upon  a  certain  day  were 
$295,000,000,  the  receipts  of  forty-eight  banks  in  the 
city  of  New  York  were  $165,000,000,  or  nearly  56  pei 
cent,  of  the  whole.  The  receipts  of  the  four  great  cities 
of  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  Chicago,  com- 
prised nearly  four  fifths  of  the  total  receipts  on  June  30, 
1 88 1,  and  nearly  three  fourths  of  the  total  on  September 
17,  1 88 1  ;  while  the  sixteen  reserved  cities  on  June  3oth 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes  35 


were  more  than  85  per  cent.,  and  on  September 
more  than  &z  per  cent.  ,  of  the  whole  amount. 

'  '  These  facts  show  how  closely  connected  is  the 
business  of  the  banks  elsewhere  with  the  great  com- 
mercial cities  of  the  East.  Nearly  every  bank  and 
banker  located  in  all  the  principal  cities  and  villages 
of  the  country  have  deposits  subject  to  sight  draft 
in  New  York.  Bvery  mail  not  only  brings  remit- 
tances from  neighboring  cities,  but  from  the  most 
inaccessible  points  in  the  country.  To-day  a  single 
roadside  tavern  or  outpost  upon  the  great  plains  of  the 
frontier  ;  to-morrow  a  railroad  is  constructed,  and  in 
place  of  the  tavern  of  the  frontiersman  or  the  military 
outpost,  there  is  the  city  of  Cheyenne  in  the  embryo 
State  of  Wyoming,  or  the  city  of  Bismarck  in  the  new 
State  of  Dakota,  or  the  city  of  Winnipeg  in  the  Prov- 
inces of  Manitoba.  And  almost  on  the  day  of  the 
birth  of  these  young  cities  or  villages,  banks  are 
organized  under  the  authority  of  the  laws  of  the  United 
States  or  Canada,  which  are  almost  immediately  there- 
after brought  into  close  communication  with  some 
correspondent  in  New  York. 

"The  East  sympathizes  with  you  in  your  growth, 
and  receives  substantial  profit  from  that  source.  New 
York,  as  well  as  Chicago,  is  your  market,  and  the 
effect  of  good  crops  in  all  sections  of  the  West  is  felt 
in  New  York  as  surely  as  in  your  Western  cities.  The 


36  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 

progress  and  prosperity  of  the  West  increases  largely 
the  progress  and  prosperity  of  the  East.  For  more  than 
a  half  century — for  more  than  eighty  years — the  East 
has  been  sending  a  portion  of  its  surplus  here  for  invest- 
ment. It  had  its  early  losses,  but  its  gains  have  been 
large,  which  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  it  has  never 
for  a  single  year  ceased  to  send,  not  only  its  people  here, 
to  find  homes  in  the  new  States,  but  it  has  increased 
its  Western  investments  annually.  A  few  years  ago 
tables  were  made  showing  the  distribution  of  national- 
bank  stock  throughout  the  country,  from  which  it  was 
found  that  a  large  portion — say  about  one  eighth — of 
the  stock  of  these  new  institutions  in  the  West  was 
held  in  the  East.  If  it  were  possible  it  would  be  most 
interesting  to  obtain  similar  figures  in  reference  to  the 
holdings  of  the  East  in  your  railroad  and  other  trans- 
portation companies,  and  in  your  industries  of  various 
kinds.  It  is  known  that  the  East  in  many  instances 
holds  a  majority  of  the  stock  in  your  greatest  companies, 
and  annually  elects  the  officers  of  such  corporations. 
The  interest  upon  the  bonds,  almost  without  excep- 
tion, of  all  your  Western  corporations,  is  payable  in 
New  York,  and  to  considerable  extent  to  Eastern 
owners.  You  have  grown  rich ;  but  we  of  the  East  are 
your  co-partners  in  business,  and  notwithstanding  your 
riches,  we  give  notice  that  we  do  not  intend  there 
shall  be  any  DISSOLUTION  OF  THE  CO-PARTNKRSHIP. 


£rfp  to  tbe  IRocfcies  37 


'  *  So  far  from  that  being  the  case,  we  give  notice 
that  in  those  branches  of  business  which  we  find  most 
profitable,  we  intend  from  year  to  year  to  increase  our 
holdings.  Those  of  us  who  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  the  growing  West,  know  its  resources,  and 
propose,  as  heretofore,  to  continue  to  assist  in  its  de- 
velopment— largely  under  your  management. 

1  ( We  do  not  care  to  prophesy  where  the  centre  of  this 
great  country  will  be  a  century  hence.  The  important 
point  is,  that  the  country,  as  a  whole,  shall  increase 
its  power,  its  population,  its  wealth ;  that  its  people 
shall  be  intelligent  and  homogeneous  in  character  ; 
and,  above  all,  that  the  country  shall  have  a  govern- 
ment that  is  good  and  strong.  I  lived  in  Minnesota 
when  St.  Paul  had  a  population  of  about  5,000.  At 
our  social  gatherings  we  frequently  took  a  census,  and 
always  found  that  every  State  in  the  Hast  was  repre- 
sented by  persons  present.  The  Bast  is  the  father, 
and  grandfather,  and  great-grandfather  of  the  West. 
The  telegraph,  the  railroad,  the  telephone,  and  the 
cable  have  made  us  all  neighbors  ! 

' '  Webster,  in  one  of  his  great  speeches,  said  of  South 
Carolina  and  Massachusetts  :  '  Shoulder  to  shoulder 
they  went  through  the  Revolution  ;  hand  in  hand  they 
stood  around  the  Administration  of  Washington,  and 
felt  his  strong  arm  lean  upon  them  for  support.'  We 
may  paraphrase  this  expression,  and  say  that  with  the 


38  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctes 


rapid  development  of  each  section  of  the  country,  it  is 
most  important  that  the  Bast  and  the  West,  the  North 
and  the  South,  shall,  if  necessary,  march  shoulder  to 
shoulder  in  defence  of  the  country,  hand  in  hand  stand 
around  every  good  Administration  in  time  of  trouble, 
and  rejoice  if  the  strong  arm  of  the  Executive  shall 
lean  upon  all  for  support  ! ' ' 

After  we  had  enjoyed  this  treat  and  all  expressed 
our  appreciation  of  it,  we  looked  out  upon  the  beau- 
ties of  a  Kansas  moonlight  night.  The  charm  was  too 
much  for  us.  In  a  moment  we  were  upon  the  street. 

Klectric  light  was  everywhere,  making  night  almost 
as  bright  as  day.  The  long  line  of  beautifully  decorated 
show  windows  of  the  large  stores  reminded  us  of  home. 

Mr.  Blanchard  had  secured  elegant  rooms  for  our 
party  at  the  Brunswick,  but  most  of  us  preferred  our 
cosy  apartments  on  the  "  Dalmatia." 

We  were  all  up  bright  and  early,  after  a  good  night's 
sleep.  This  Kansas  atmosphere  is  wonderful.  It  makes 
one  sleep  at  night  in  spite  of  himself,  and  such  an  ap- 
petite as  it  does  give. 

As  we  came  from  the  breakfast  table  we  found  ele- 
gant carriages  awaiting  us. 

Bach  bank  sent  out  either  its  President  or  Cashier  to 
help  entertain  us. 

We  visited  the  wonderful  salt  works  at  South  Hutch- 
inson.  The  pure  white  salt  was  admired  by  all.  Being 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes  39 


free  from  all  impurities,  the  Hutchinson  salt  does  not 
cake.  The  supply  is  unlimited  ;  at  a  depth  of  350  to 
400  feet  lies  a  bed  of  solid,  pure  rock-salt,  330  feet 
thick,  covering  an  area  of  many  miles  in  extent. 
Hutchinson  will  supply  all  the  salt  trade  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  Additional  interest  was  manifested 
by  all  in  this  field,  as  it  was  learned  that  this  source 
of  wealth  was  originally  developed  by  Ben  Blanchard, 
unaided  and  alone. 

The  development  of  the  great  salt  wealth  of  South 
Hutchinson  no  doubt  gave  Hutchinson  permanent  im- 
pulse at  the  opportune  moment.  Competition  from 
Wichita  for  the  business  centre  that  must  of  necessity 
settle  on  some  point  in  Kansas  subsided  when  the  salt 
fields  came  to  the  surface  with  its  unlimited  supply 
of  pure  white  salt.  Standing  by  the  side  of  one 
of  the  leading  bank  presidents  of  Hutchinson,  at 
one  of  the  great  salt  wells,  one  of  our  party,  not  know- 
ing whose  energy  and  enterprise  discovered  and  devel- 
oped the  great  industry,  made  the  remark  :  "I  should 
be  willing  to  take  off  my  hat  to  the  man  who  first  struck 
salt  here."  The  bank  President  replied  :  "Well,  you 
may  take  off  your  hat  to  Mr.  Blanchard,  the  President 
of  the  Empire  L,oan  and  Trust  Company. ' ' 

We  left  the  salt  works,  with  its  thousands  of  tons 
of  snowy  salt,  for  the  green  fields  of  the  farms.  There 
was  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky.  The  cool,  fresh,  country 


40  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


air  put  us  all  in  the  best  of  spirits.  For  miles  and 
miles  we  hurried  on,  scaring  up  quail,  prairie  chicken, 
and  rabbits  from  the  finely-kept  green  hedge  fences 
which  line  the  road  on  both  sides.  Choice  farms  are 
on  every  hand.  In  fact  the  country  presents  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  checker-board,  nearly  every  quarter 
section  being  a  fine  farm  with  its  grove  of  forest  trees, 
orchard,  and  small  fruit.  The  two  story  farm-houses 
and  large  barns  remind  one  of  the  best  portions  of 
Pennsylvania. 

We  passed  team  after  team  on  its  way  to  Hutchinson 
loaded  with  wheat,  oats,  or  corn.  We  stopped  at  the 
fine  fruit  farm  of  Mr.  Switzer,  and  received  a  bountiful 
supply  of  choice,  rosy  apples.  The  cherry  and  peach 
trees  still  bore  traces  of  the  wonderful  crops  that  had 
been  gathered  and  shipped.  To  our  left  was  Mr. 
Furney's  fine  mansion,  and  a  little  farther  on  the 
elegant  stock  farm  with  its  hundreds  of  blooded  cattle, 
belonging  to  Mr.  Stewart.  Both  of  these  gentlemen 
were  formerly  of  Philadelphia.  Many  other  similar 
places  would  have  been  in  sight,  but  the  great  fields 
of  corn  on  every  hand  hid  them  from  our  view.  The 
new  wheat,  which  has  been  sown  in  abundance,  was 
just  coming  through  the  ground,  and  gave  a  fresh, 
green  look  to  many  a  field. 

We  reached  Hutchinson  in  time  for  dinner,  and  could 
hardly  realize  that  we  had  driven  over  twenty  miles. 


B  Crip  to  tbc  IRocfctes  41 


After  a  sumptuous  dinner  at  the  Brunswick,  we 
visited  the  chief  points  of  interest  in  Hutchinson  ; 
with  the  mayor  and  leading  bankers  of  the  city.  We 
were  driven  past  its  twelve  salt  works  to  the  packing- 
houses of  Fowler  &  Underwood,  and  Tobey  &  Booth, 
and  the  great  lard  refinery  of  Fairbanks  &  Co.,  the 
ice  factory,  the  banks,  the  home  office  of  the  Hmpire 
lyoan  and  Trust  Company,  and  to  the  office  of  the 
Hutchinson  Daily  News  (Ralph  Iy.  Kasley,  Ksq., 
President  and  managing  editor),  then  to  the  Santa  Fe 
Hotel,  where  a  banquet  had  been  spread  for  us  by  the 
members  of  the  Hutchinson  Clearing-House,  who  were 
accompanied  by  their  ladies. 

This  hospitality  was  an  entire  surprise  to  us.  Hon. 
Darwin  R.  James,  Hon.  John  Jay  Knox,  and  the  Hon. 
D.  O.  Bradley  expressed  our  thanks  to  the  citizens  of 
Hutchinson  for  the  courtesies  and  hospitality  extended 
to  us.  We  take  the  following  from  the  Hutchinson 
News  : 

' '  Before  leaving  the  dining-room  the  News  reporter 
took  occasion  to  inquire  of  several  of  the  gentlemen 
how  they  were  impressed  with  Hutchinson. 

' '  Kdward  Merritt,  Ksq. ,  President  of  lyong  Island 
lyoan  and  Trust  Company  said  :  '  We  have  been  de- 
lighted and  surprised  at  the  wonderful  development  of 
the  State  of  Kansas.  The  growth  and  progress  of 
Hutchinson  are  marvellous.  The  discovery  by  Mr. 


42  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


Blanchard  of  the  salt  fields  underlying  this  section  of 
the  country  must  certainly  add  largely  to  the  wealth  of 
the  city  and  its  inhabitants.  The  natural  advantages 
of  its  situation  together  with  the  inevitable  growth  of 
its  industries  make  the  future  of  Hutchinson,  in  my 
judgment,  sure  beyond  doubt.' 

"  Hon.  John  J.  Knox,  who  was  Comptroller  of  Cur- 
rency at  Washington  for  eleven  years,  said  :  '  Yes, 
Hutchinson  is  indeed  a  beautiful  and  also  a  wonderful 
town.  The  geographical  position  of  Hutchinson  re- 
specting the  great  through  lines  east  and  west  is  such, 
that  she  is  sure  to  continue  to  be  one  of  the  leading 
cities  in  Kansas.' 

"  Mr.  D.  Ogden  Bradley,  President  of  the  Tarrytown 
National  Bank  of  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  for  several  years, 
and  a  banker  of  forty  years'  experience,  said  :  '  I  am 
greatly  pleased  with  Hutchinson,  and  see  elements  of 
great  strength  and  certain  prosperity  all  around  it.  I 
greatly  admire  Kansas.  It  is  rapidly  advancing  to  the 
lead  of  the  moral  and  intellectual  forces  of  the  nation. 
It  is  doing  a  great  work,  and  has  a  gigantic  future. 
Hutchinson  will  certainly  become  its  metropolis. ; 

' '  Hon.  Darwin  R.  James,  who  served  in  the  Forty- 
eighth  and  Forty-ninth  Congresses,  is  an  importer  of 
indigo  and  spices,  president  of  a  savings-bank,  and 
secretary  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Trade  and  Trans- 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  43 


portation,  said  :  '  Words  fail  to  express  the  pleasure  of 
the  excursion,  we  are  making.  Kansas  is  a  magnificent 
State,  and  is  developing  with  wonderful  rapidity.  I 
thought  I  knew  something  about  it  before  I  came,  but 
I  am  amazed  at  the  progress  made  since  my  former 
visit.  All  that  I  had  heard  of  Hutchinson,  and  it  was 
much,  has  been  more  than  realized.  She  is  a  magnifi- 
cent young  city,  whose  possibilities  for  the  future  are 
unlimited.  We  might  say  of  Hutchinson  "  She  is  the 
salt  of  the  earth." 

"  Dr.  Frank  W.  Shaw,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  being 
asked  for  his  impressions  replied  that,  while  not  a  banker 
himself,  he  could  appreciate  the  interest  which  men  of 
affairs  always  feel  toward  the  prosperity  of  any  growing 
section  of  the  West.  The  opinions  of  Kansas  which  he 
had  heard  from  the  distinguished  gentlemen  with  whom 
he  had  the  pleasure  of  travelling  had  shown  him  the 
broader  views  of  observation,  but  what  he  had  person- 
ally seen  to-day  of  Hutchinson  and  its  wonderful  indus- 
tries and  possibilities  convinced  him  of  the  soundness 
of  Western  enthusiasm.  Those  magnificent  salt  works 
alone  assure  the  future  success  of  the  city.  He  said  he 
should  always  feel  indebted  to  Mr.  Blanchard  for  his 
first  view  of  the  substantial  prosperity  of  Kansas  and  of 
this  beautiful  city. 

"Crowell  Hadden,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Long 
Island  Bank  of  Brooklyn,  the  oldest  bank  in  the  city, 


44  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


said :  '  I  am  highly  gratified  at  the  growth  and  enter- 
prise of  the  city.  It  bids  fair  to  become  one  of  the 
greatest  of  Western  cities.  The  recent  discovery  of 
salt  underlying  the  city  by  Mr.  Ben  Blanchard  will  add 
largely  to  its  wealth. ' 

' '  Capt.  Ambrose  Snow,  President  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  of  New  York  City,  said  :  '  Yes,  sir,  Hutchin- 
son  has  a  great  future  before  her.  That  wonderful 
salt !  Why,  it  is  a  revelation  to  me.  With  that,  and 
the  railroads  you  have  and  those  you  are  getting,  no 
power  in  the  world4  could  prevent  Hutchinson  from 
forging  right  to  the  front  and  sta}7ing  there  !  ' 

"  The  ladies  of  Mr.  Blanchard' s  party  were  of  much 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence,  and  had  travelled  not 
a  little,  and  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  were  familiar 
with  European  scenery.  They  were  charmed  with  our 
beautiful  streets  and  neat  and  handsome  business 
blocks,  and  elegant  lawns  and  residences.  They  were 
unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  if  they  could  not  live  in 
New  York  they  would  certainly  choose  Hutchinson. ' ' 

Of  one  fact  all  were  convinced — that  Hutchinson 
could  furnish  as  good  social  life  as  we  could  desire. 
"  Hutchinson' s  salt  mines  are  valuable,  but  her  women 
are  far  above  rubies, ' '  said  a  gentleman  of  our  party, 
and  we  all  said  ' '  Amen  ! ' ' 

Our  party  were  delighted  and  surprised  to  find  in 
this  beautiful  city  of  seventeen  thousand  people  such 


B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfctea  45 


a  rush  of  business.  The  streets  were  thronged  with 
teams,  the  stores  crowded  with  people.  Hundreds  of 
new  buildings  were  going  up — great  stone  blocks  and 
elegant  residences.  We  could  easily  understand  this, 
when  we  found  that  Hutchinson  was  located  on  three 
trunk  lines  and  two  branch  railroads,  surrounded  by 
an  agricultural  country  that  cannot  be  excelled,  and 
underlaid  with  the  thickest  vein  of  pure  salt  in  the 
world.  Mr.  Bourne,  Treasurer  of  the  Empire  L,oan 
and  Trust  Company,  and  for  many  years  a  banker, 
told  me  that  a  great  many  of  the  business  men  of 
Hutchinson  were  formerly  from  New  York,  and  that 
Eastern  capital  was  rapidly  coming  in  to  develop  the 
latent  interests  here. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  rapidly  growing  commercial 
importance  of  Hutchinson,  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Co. 
has  recently  issued  circulars  to  shippers  of  live  stock, 
which  places  Hutchinson  on  an  equal  footing  with 
Kansas  City. 

William  Willard  Howard,  in  Harper's  Weekly,  Nov. 
3,  1888,  says  :  "Wise  and  conservative  methods  of  doing 
business  attract  a  great  deal  of  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
and  Boston  capital  to  Kansas  properties  that  are  now 
lying  idle.  Many  Eastern  capitalists  are  sending  money 
to  Kansas,  but  with  few  exceptions  the  bulk  of  the  in- 
vestments are  in  mortgages  on  farm  property.  To  men 
who  have  made  a  study  of  Western  securities  these 


46  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 

mortgages  are  looked  upon  as  safe  and  profitable  in- 
vestments ;  but  while  they  are  no  doubt  beneficial  to 
the  individual  borrower  and  lender,  they  yet  cannot 
benefit  Kansas  a  hundredth  part  as  much  as  the  same 
money  would  if  used  in  the  proper  development  of  the 
State's  great  resources.  The  day  is  rapidly  approach- 
ing when  the  vast  sums  of  money  now  stored  in  finan- 
cial centres  will  be  as  readily  invested  in  Kansas  prop- 
erty as  funds  are  at  present  put  into  farm  mortgages. 
The  city  of  Hutchinson  has  shown  how  it  can  be  done. ' ' 
After  the  banquet  we  entered  our  car  bound  for 
Colorado  ;  after  a  short  stop  at  Pueblo  we  arrived  in 
Denver,  and  went  to  the  ' '  Windsor, ' '  where  Mr. 
Blanchard  had  secured  rooms  for  all  during  our  stay 
in  this  far-off  city.  So  easy  and  pleasant  had  been  our 
journey  of  over  2,000  miles,  we  could  not  realize  the 
distance  we  had  travelled,  except  by  the  difference  of 
time — we  were  two  hours  behind  New  York  time.  On 
Sunday  attended  service  at  Trinity  M.  B.  Church,  a 
beautiful  building,  organ,  etc.,  valued  at  $300,000. 
Monday  morning,  in  seven  carriages,  a  representative 
of  the  ' '  Bankers'  Association  of  Denver ' '  in  each  car- 
riage, visited  the  ' '  Omaha  and  Grant  Smelting  Works, ' ' 
public  buildings,  etc.,  under  the  courteous  direction 
of  ex-Gov.  J.  B.  Grant.  Leaving  Denver  Monday,  4:45 
P.M.,  the  next  stop  was  at  Colorado  Springs,  where 
there  are  no  springs.  We  were  anxious  to  reach  Mani- 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  47 


ton,  where  the  springs  are  numerous.  The  regular 
train  had  left.  The  necessity  for  prompt  action  was 
apparent.  There  would  be  no  out  train  till  morn- 
ing. Mr.  Blanchard  was  equal  to  the  emergency  ;  a 
special  engine  was  secured,  and  with  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  road  as  conductor  we  started  on  the  up 
grade,  and  arrived  at  Manitou  (which  is  the  Indian  for 
Great  Spirit)  safely  at  eight  o'clock  of  a  beautiful 
evening.  Carriages  had  been  ordered,  and  were  waiting 
at  the  depot,  and  a  ride  through  Manitou,  up  Ruxton 
Glen  to  the  springs  by  moonlight,  completed  the 
delightful  experience  of  the  day. 

The  ' '  Iron  Spring ' '  and  '  *  Soda  Spring  ' '  are  superior 
for  health  to  the  "Washington"  and  "Congress" 
springs  of  Saratoga. 

UP  PIKE'S  PEAK,  Tuesday,  October  ist. 
The  day  was  perfect ;  not  a  cloud.  Our  car  stood  on 
the  side  track  of  the  Midland,  at  an  elevation  of  seven 
thousand  feet,  equal  to  the  ' '  Tip-Top  House  ' '  on  Mt. 
Washington.  All  were  eager  to  know  if  the  weather 
was  propitious.  Hasty  toilets  enabled  us,  one  and  all, 
to  assemble  at  an  early  hour  and  watch  for  the  first 
rays  of  the  rising  sun.  We  were  looking  east,  when 
one  of  the  group,  a  lady,  was  the  first  to  call  out : 
"There  it  is"  ;  and,  turning  to  the  west,  we  saw 
"The  Peak,"  snow-clad,  blushing  like  arose.  Then 


48  21  £rip  to  tbc  IRocfues 


"  Gog  and  Magog  "  caught  the  rays  ;  then  "  Cameron's 
Cone."  The  foot-hills  followed,  one  after  another,  till 
all  had  joined  the  "  Peak  "  in  proclaiming  "  The  sun 
has  risen. ' '  We  were  charmed  by  the  wonderful  and 
novel  scene.  ' '  Manitou  ' '  lay  asleep  at  our  feet.  We 
watched  till  at  last  we  too  were  standing  in  the  sun- 
shine. 

After  an  early  breakfast  our  Pullman  Hotel,  the 
"Dalmatia,"  was  taken  over  the  Midland  Railroad 
to  Cascade  City,  passing  through  eight  tunnels  in 
going  six  miles  to  ascend  about  one  thousand  feet. 
We  left  our  Pullman  at  Cascade  City,  and  took  car- 
riages with  four  horses,  for  a  seventeen-mile  climb  to 
reach  the  summit.  The  carriage  road  is  a  marvel  of 
engineering  skill.  At  the  half-way  house  our  horses 
were  changed  for  four  sure-footed  mules.  After  leaving 
the  timber  line  the  prospect  is  wonderful,  changing 
with  every  turn  of  the  road,  and  there  are  eighty  turns. 

The  ascent  of  Pike's  Peak  in  time  of  flowers  is  a  sur- 
prise for  those  who  expect  to  see  only  the  rough  boulder 
and  riven  rock.  "  Flowers  deck  their  inclined  sides 
in  great  blocks  of  color,  and  litter  their  terraces  and 
woodland  edges  in  variegated  confusion.  There  is  no 
difficult  pass  where  they  are  not  found  ;  no  dusky  glen 
that  does  not  harbor  them  ;  scarcely  any  height  on 
which  their  beauty  will  not  appear  to  gladden  him  who 
toils  to  reach  the  summits. ' ' 


B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  49 


"  'T  is  legend  told  of  primal  days 

When  '  Manitou,'  like  clay, 
The  gray  rock  mountain  shapes  did  raise 

To  celebrate  his  sway. 
He  was  not  pleased.     The  mountains  bare 

Were  bleak  and  dull  and  gray. 
He  snatched  a  rainbow  from  the  air, 

To  use  its  colors  gay. 
Crumbling  its  bars,  with  chanted  spell, 

Their  radiant  dust  he  threw, 
And  everywhere  a  handful  fell 

A  million  flow'rets  grew. ' ' 

As  the  early  snow  on  the  mountains  had  killed  the 
flowers  before  our  visit,  a  volume  of  pressed  ' '  Wild 
Flowers  from  the  Rockies  * '  was  presented  to  each  one 
of  our  party  by  our  host.  The  flowers  were  gone  but 
the  Autumn  tints  had  painted  the  grand  old  mountain, 
emerald,  garnet,  and  gold. 

Miss  ~L,.  I.  S.  says  : 

"  One  curious  fact  I  remember  was,  that  the  pine  trees 
all  presented  branches  on  but  one  side  of  the  trunk, 
and  that  the  south,  for  the  bleak  north  winds  prove  too 
severe  for  growth  on  that  side,  and  instead  of  growing 
up,  like  well  regulated  trees,  the  branches  all  hang 
down,  bended  by  their  weight  of  snow,  presenting  a 
very  singular  appearance. 

' '  How  many  times  our  blood  would  run  cold  as  we 


50  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes 


skirted  a  particularly  sharp  turn  on  the  edge  of  a  very 
steep  precipice. 

' '  Snow  was  very  plenty  about  us,  and  often  we  would 
be  driving  through  piles  two  and  three  feet  deep  in 
some  sheltered  portion  of  the  road. 

' '  Imagine,  ye  who  were  not  there,  sinking  in  above 
the  hubs  in  snow,  genuine  snow  in  its  pristine  beauty, 
and  then  you  can  realize  why  his  lordship,  the  Peak, 
looks  so  white  at  a  distance.  And  now  comes  the 
time  for  the  furs  and  mittens  and  lap-robes,  and  were  it 
not  for  the  bright  sun  I  imagine  some  noses  would  have 
been  very  blue. 

"We  had  an  unusually  clear  day  for  our  visit,  just 
what  our  favored  party  might  have  expected,  for  what 
was  there  that  did  not  present  its  most  attractive  side 
to  us. 

' '  Before  we  quite  reach  the  summit  we  get  a  grand 
view  of  the  Continental  Divide  and  Snowy  Range,  and 
those  two  white  icebergs  to  the  south  they  tell  us  are 
the  Spanish  Peaks,  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles 
away. 

"  And  now  we  have  almost  finished  our  seventeen 
miles  of  climbing,  and  the  high  mountains  that  we 
have  come  over  lie  like  level  plains  beneath  us,  and 
nothing  obstructs  our  view  ;  we  are  head  and  shoulders 
above  the  world.  Up,  up,  until  the  Tip-Top  House 
comes  in  sight,  and  we  draw  up  before  it  and  alight 


21  Crip  to  tbe  IRocfctes  51 


cautiously,  so  as  to  take  the  rarefied  air  by  degrees  into 
our  lungs.  - 

' '  The  Peak  was  reached  at  one  o' clock.  The  sun  was 
shining  with  mid-day  brightness.  The  moon  was  also 
shining,  undimmed  by  the  sun's  brighter  rays.  To 
the  east,  * '  Manitou  ' '  and  ' '  Colorado  Springs ' '  seemed 
floating  in  space  ;  to  the  north  and  west,  Gray's  Peak, 
and  the  Snowy  Range,  and  the  smoke  of  the  smelters  at 
Leadville,  seventy -five  miles  away  ;  to  the  south,  the 
"Spanish  Peaks,"  snow-clad,  one  hundred  and  eighty 
miles  off,  seemed  only  a  few  miles  across  the  mountains. 
We  stood  fourteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  feet  above  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 

' '  At  about  2. 30  o'clock  we  stow  ourselves  in  the  stages 
and  begin  our  trip  down  the  mountain,  a  much  easier 
but  more  thrilling  ride.  Mrs.  Hadden,  I  think,  voiced 
the  experience  of  some  of  the  rest  when  she  said  she 
only  took  two  breaths  all  the  way  down — one  when 
she  started,  and  another  when  she  stopped.  It  was 
exciting  to  be  whirled  around  the  sharp  curves,  at  a 
rapid  gait,  especially  when  an  overturned  cart  told  the 
tale  of  some  poor  fellow  coming  to  grief ;  but  it  really 
amused  us  to  picture  the  antics  the  little  donkey  must 
have  gone  through  in  his  involuntary  tobogganing 
down  the  side  of  the  mountain.  Several  of  the  turns 
were  marvellous,  the  road  almost  returning  on  itself, 
and  in  one  spot  we  could  see  seven  different  portions 
of  the  road  in  its  serpentine  windings. 


52  B  Grip  to  tbe  TRocfcies 


' '  Shall  this  pleasure  ever  end  ?  Must  we  come  down 
to  every  one's  level  ? 

"  The  sun  has  just  disappeared  behind  the  snow-clad 
peak.  We  can  still  see  it  shining  on  Cameron's  Cone 
and  on  the  peaks  to  our  left. 

'  The  western  waves  of  ebbing  day 
Rolled  o'er  the  glen  their  level  way  ; 
Bach  purple  peak,  each  flinty  spire, 
Was  bathed  in  floods  of  living  fire. 
But  not  a  setting  beam  could  glow 
Within  the  dark  ravines  below, 
Where  twined  the  path  in  shadow  hid, 
Round  many  a  rocky  pyramid, 
Shooting  abruptly  from  the  dell 
Its  thunder-splintered  pinnacle ; 
Round  many  an  insulated  mass, 
The  native  bulwarks  of  the  pass, 
Huge  as  the  towers  which  builders  vain 
Presumptuous  piled  on  Shinar's  plain, 
Their  rocky  summits,  split  and  rent, 
Formed  turret,  dome,  or  battlement, 
Or  seemed  fantastically  set 
With  cupola  or  minaret, 
Wild  crests  as  pagod  ever  decked, 
Or  mosque  of  Eastern  architect.' 

"  At  six  o'clock  we  whirl  into  Cascade.  We  jump 
from  the  stages,  and  fairly  pinch  ourselves  to  see  if  we 
are  the  same  people  who  left  there  in  the  morning. 


Crip  to  tbe  IRocfcfee  53 


Yes,  we  are  tjie  same  in  outward  appearance,  but  some- 
thing has  entered  into  our  lives,  our  inner  selves,  that 
broadens  us  out,  and  will  prove  a  continual  feast  in 
coming  days. 

"  It  would  seem  that  a  climax  could  hardly  be 
capped,  but  ours  was  in  a  most  delightful  way.  The 
stages  had  hardly  driven  away  when  up  drive  four  or 
five  carriages,  and  we  are  invited  to  go  back  to  Manitou, 
by  way  of  the  Ute  Pass  trail,  instead  of  by  the  rail- 
road. Nothing  loath  we  get  in,  and  settle  ourselves 
for  one  of  the  pleasantest  of  rides.  It  is  a  perfect 
evening,  and  we  have  not  gone  far  before  the  moon 
comes  out  and  throws  a  spell  of  enchantment  over 
the  scene.  The  road  is  so  smooth  and  hard  that 
our  horses'  hoofs  make  a  pleasant  ring  as  we  speed 
along.  A  merry  little  stream,  whose  dashing  and 
dancing  have  given  it  the  name  of  '  '  The  Fountain 
that  Boils,"  accompanies  us,  and  we  run  a  race  with  it, 
but  own  ourselves  thoroughly  beaten  in  all  respects, 
when  our  rival  enhances  its  beauty,  redoubles  its  speed, 
and  makes  louder  its  laughter  as  it  throws  itself  head- 
long down  the  cliff  of  rocks  ;  and  we  alight  from  our 
carriage  to  go  down  the  ravine  and  pay  homage  to 
the  beauties  of  Rainbow  Falls. 

"  This  brief  glimpse  in  the  twilight  makes  us  long  for 
a  view  by  day,  and  we  promise  ourselves  a  longer  visit 
the  next  time  we  come.  '  ' 


54  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


As  we  bowl  along  we  look  up  at  the  steep,  rocky 
walls  of  the  canon,  shutting  us  in  from  all  disturbing 
thoughts  and  sights,  and  the  moon  floods  all  with  its 
peaceful  light,  and  all  fatigue  and  disquiet  vanishes, 
and  we  realize  that  we  are  having  a  fitting  ending  to  a 
glorious  day. 

The  electric  lights  at  Manitou  recall  us  to  ourselves, 
and  we  finish  a  well-rounded  day,  begun  with  Pike's 
Peak  by  sunrise,  and  we  leave  him  sleeping  under  the 
watchful  eye  of  the  purest  moon  that  ever  shone. 

Wednesday,  October  2cl. 

Another  brilliant  day.  An  early  breakfast.  Car- 
riages were  taken  for  the  most  wonderful  drive  of  the 
trip.  First  to  "  Iron  Springs  "  and  "  Ruxton  Glen," 
then  to  the  ' '  Garden  of  the  Gods, ' '  more  wonderful 
than  can  be  told ;  then  to  ' '  Glen  Byrie  ' '  ;  then  the 
"  Messa  Road" — who  will  forget  the  beauty  of  its 
scenery  ? 

We  then  turned  our  way  to  the  scene  of  what  was  to 
be  the  culmination  of  our  journey.  As  we  approached 
Cheyenne  Mountain,  memories  of  (H.  H.)  Helen  Hunt 
Jackson,  arose  in  every  mind.  Her  solitary  grave  upon 
Cheyenne  Mountain,  selected  by  herself,  is  unmarked, 
except  as  friendship's  hand  has  raised  a  mound  of  small 
stones  and  pieces  of  marble,  an  evidence  of  affection 
more  significant  than  formal  monument  could  be.  It 
is  an  illustration  of  one  of  her  own  verses  : 


B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  55 


"  But  no  decaying 

Can  reach  it  in  this  sepulchre,  whose  stone 
Our  hearts  must  make  !     To  an  exceeding  glory  grown, 
This  grief  outweighing. " 

In  Cheyenne  Canon  where,  almost  imprisoned  by  the 
perpendicular  rocks,  lunch  was  eaten  with  keen  relish, 
and  the  health  of  our  host  drank  with  cool,  foaming 
"Manitou  Spring  water,"  Wall  Street  was  forgotten. 
Attention  was  directed  to  a  prominent  Wall  Street  bank 
president  sitting  on  a  rock  enjoying  the  bountiful  colla- 
tion, with  two  young  ladies  acting  as  waitresses. 

After  lunch  we  rambled  through  the  beautiful  canon 
and  visited  the  Falls,  where  for  500  feet  cascade  follows 
cascade,  till  in  ' '  Seven  Falls  ' '  they  reach  the  bottom 
of  the  canon. 

How  reluctantly  we  entered  our  carriages,  for  it  was 
to  be  our  last  drive  on  this  delightful  journey.  The 
"Pillars  of  Hercules"  from  a  height  of  1,500  feet 
looked  down  upon  us  with  approval,  and  the  "  Seven 
Falls  ' '  united  with  us  in  singing  the  ' '  Doxology . ' ' 
We  drove  back  to  Colorado  Springs  and  through  its 
principal  streets  to  our  inviting  quarters  in  the  ' '  Dal- 
matia,"  ever  ready  to  welcome  us. 

The  next  morning  we  were  again  riding  through  the 
fertile  fields  of  Kansas.  A  brief  stop  at  Hutchinson  to 
say  good-bye  to  Messrs.  Burns  and  Bennett,  thence  to 
Topeka,  Kansas  City,  St.  Louis,  and  home,  via  the  Big 


56  B  Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


Four  System  to  Indianapolis  and  Cleveland,  thence  by 
Lake  Shore  and  New  York  Central,  reaching  Grand 
Central  Depot  on  time  Saturday  evening,  October 
5th. 

Probably  no  one  enjoyed  the  trip  more  than  Edward 
Merritt,  Esq. ,  President  of  the  Long  Island  Loan  and 
Trust  Company.  We  had  not  finished  the  first  day's 
travel  when,  on  account  of  a  striking  resemblance,  Mr. 
Merritt  was  recognized  by  the  crowd  at  the  depot  as 
President  Harrison.  This  gave  him  a  prestige  and 
popularity  with  the  party  that  continued.  Should  any 
of  us  need  counsel,  we  appealed  to  him.  The  young 
ladies  always  did.  Did  they  fall,  Mr.  Merritt  was 
expected  to  help  them  up.  Captain  Snow,  when  ac- 
cused of  sleeping  soundly,  was  delighted  to  secure  his 
counsel,  and  from  his  judgment  there  was  no  appeal. 

One  of  the  advantages  of  such  a  trip  is  safety.  To 
travel  over  4,000  miles  involves  some  risks  apparent  to 
all.  To  have  a  skilful  physician  and  surgeon  at  hand 
in  Dr.  Frank  W.  Shaw  was  duly  appreciated.  We  had 
not  gone  1,000  miles  before  a  spark  intruded  the  sacred 
precincts  of  one  of  the  brightest  eyes  that  ever  looked 
upon  the  wonders  of  the  ' '  Garden  of  the  Gods. ' '  The 
cry  for  Dr.  Shaw  was  promptly  answered  by  skilful 
relief.  How  often  that  cry  was  made  and  responded  to 
the  Doctor's  "  Diary  "  will  attest.  The  youngest  and 
oldest  alike  shared  his  skill  and  watchful  care. 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcfes  57 


At  Topeka  J.  R.  Mulvane,  Esq.,  President  of  the 
Bank  of  Topeka,  gave  nie  the  following  statement : 

The  corn  crop  this  year  will  be  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  million  bushels.  (The  Secretary  of  Kansas 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  raises  this  estimate  to 
276,541,338  bushels.)  The  wheat  crop  forty  million 
bushels  ;  oats  fifty  million  bushels  ;  rye  and  barley  ten 
million  bushels  ;  flax-seed  five  million  bushels  ;  pork, 
in  1873,  the  State  supplied  67,500  hogs ;  in  1889, 
one  million  eight  hundred  and  seventy  thousand 
(1,870,000). 

Mr.  Mulvane  says,  the  products  of  Kansas  farms 
this  year  alone,  if  applied,  would  liquidate  every  dollar 
of  indebtedness.  The  following  lines  by  Mrs.  Sigour- 
ney  may  be  very  appropriately  applied  to  Kansas  • 

"  The  sturdy  reapers  sing,  garnering  the  corn 
That  feedeth  other  realms  besides  their  own. 
Toil  lifts  his  brawny  arm,  and  takes  the  wealth 
That  makes  his  children  princes  ; 
Strange  steeds  of  iron,  with  their  ceaseless  freight, 
Tramp  night  and  day  ;  while  the  red  lightning  bears 
Thy  slightest  whisper  on  its  wondrous  wing." 

While  in  Denver,  Colorado,  we  visited  the  Smelting 
Works,  the  great  industry  of  that  solid  and  thriving 
city.  Ore  is  brought  direct  from  some  of  the  larger 
mines  of  the  State  and  extensive  shipments  of  ore  and 


58  B  Crip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


copper  "matte"  are  received  from  Montana,  Utah, 
New  Mexico,  and  other  western  territories. 

The  value  of  the  shipments  from  one  of  the  many 
smelters  this  year  will  be  from  $3,500,000  to  $4,000,000. 
This  is  a  small  fraction  of  the  wealth  developed  in 
hard  cash  by  one  of  the  youngest  cities  of  the  West. 
This  goes  to  New  York  banks  to  increase  their  capital 
and  swell  their  surplus.  If  all  the  bank  presidents  of 
New  York  would  follow  Mr.  Knox's  example  and 
visit  and  personally  inspect  the  solid  growth  and 
security  the  West  offers  for  investments,  they  would 
all  say  with  him  :  ' '  You  have  grown  rich,  but  we  of 
the  Bast  are  your  co-partners  in  business,  and  notwith- 
standing your  riches,  we  give  notice  that  we  do  not 
intend  there  shall  be  any  dissolution  of  the  co-partner- 
ship. So  far  from  that  being  the  case,  we  give  notice 
that  in  those  branches  of  business  which  we  find  most 
profitable,  we  intend  from  year  to  year  to  increase  our 
holdings.  Those  of  us  who  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  the  growing  West,  know  its  resources  and 
propose,  as  heretofore,  to  continue  to  assist  in  the 
development — largely  under  your  management." 

After  leaving  Albany  it  was  evident  that  our  pleasure- 
trip  would  soon  terminate  and  we  should  be  obliged  to 
say  ' '  good-bye. ' '  As  usual,  and  without  formality,  Mr. 
James  was  asked  to  call  to  order  and  take  the  chair. 
His  address  was  expressive  of  the  feelings  of  the  whole 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfeles  59 


party  when  he  said  that  one  and  all  wished  to  express 
to  Mr.  Ben.  Blanchard  their  sincere  appreciation  of  his 
cordial  courtesy  and  unlimited  hospitality  during  a  two 
weeks'  trip,  upon  which  every  anticipation  had  been 
more  than  realized,  and  that  he  was  well  aware  that 
while  we  had  all  been  so  well  cared  for,  without  an 
anxious  thought,  the  trip  had  cost  Mr.  Blanchard  severe 
care  and  attention.  Mr.  Knox  followed,  and  said  that  the 
two  weeks'  vacation  had  been  the  most  delightful  trip 
he  had  ever  taken.  Mr.  Merritt  joined  in  acknowledg- 
ing the  enjoyment  that  had  been  complete.  Mr.  Brad- 
ley, Captain  Snow,  Dr.  Shaw,  and  Mr.  Hadden  all 
gave  expression  to  the  same  feelings  of  appreciation 
and  gratification.  The  last  and  best  speech  came 
impromptu  from  the  youngest  member  of  the  company. 

Mr.  Blanchard  was  very  evidently  pleased  with  the 
kind  words  of  appreciation  for  his  hospitality  that  had 
been  spoken.  He  said  in  response  : 

"  My  friends,  you  give  me  too  much  credit.  I  am 
glad  to  admit  that  we  have  had  a  happy  time  ;  but  I 
could  not  have  made  the  trip  a  success  without  the  aid 
of  all  of  your  good  offices. 

"  The  railroad  officials  have  contributed  their  courte- 
sies without  stint.  The  Pullman  Company  have  shown 
us  every  attention. 

' '  We  have  been  favored  with  perfect  weather,  and 
saved  from  accident. 


60  B  {Trip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


"  You  have  each  one  joined  in  making  every  hour 
full  of  brightness,  good  cheer,  and  happiness.  You 
have  made  me  indebted  to  you  for  the  pleasure  you 
have  given  me.  You  have  honored  me  with  your 
presence,  and  I  shall  ever  cherish  your  kind  words, 
looks,  and  actions." 

Mr.  Blanchard's  reply  was  a  surprise  to  all.  We 
had  all  given  expression  to  the  feeling  that  the  two 
weeks  just  closing  were  the  most  enjoyable  we  had 
ever  experienced  in  our  journeyings  ;  but  no  thought 
had  entered  our  minds  that  this  was  the  most  delight- 
ful trip  our  host  had  ever  enjoyed,  for  we  knew  he  had 
taken  a  dozen  similar  pleasure-parties  to  the  Yellow- 
stone, California,  Minnesota,  and  other  points  of  inter- 
est. To  hear  him  say  that  our  company  had  placed 
him  under  obligations,  was  truly  capping  the  climax. 

The  pleasure  of  all  our  company  was  increased  by 
the  presence  of  Mrs.  Blanchard,  who  returned  to  New 
York  with  us.  When  mention  is  made  of  our  host,  we 
always  include  Mrs.  Blanchard. 

After  our  return  home,  the  party  selected  a  beautiful 
present  of  sterling  silverware,  inscribed  as  follows  : 

To  Mrs.  BEN  BLANCHARD, 
from  the  Dalmatia  Party,  Sept.  23,  1889. 

The  New  York  World  of  October  yth  contained  the 
following : 


{Trip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  61 


' '  A  party  of  New  Yorkers,  who  have  been  travelling 
in  the  West  for  ten  days  in  a  special  car,  the  guests 
of  Ben  Blanchard,  Hsq.,  arrived  home  late  Saturday 
evening.  The  party  numbered  about  twenty.  Mr. 
Knox,  who  was  for  many  years  Comptroller  of  the 
Currency  at  Washington,  went  on  ahead  of  the  party 
to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  National  Banking  Associa- 
tion in  Kansas  City,  and  joined  them  there.  It  was 
thought  that  their  trip  might  have  some  connection 
with  some  new  financial  scheme  to  be  developed  in  the 
West,  but  Mr.  Knox  said  yesterday  that  they  had  gone 
simply  for  pleasure.  All  declared  that  they  had  a  most 
delightful  time. 

"  '  The  West  is  developing  rapidly,'  said  Mr.  Knox. 
'  It  would  pay  every  Eastern  business  to  make  a 
journey  through  the  West  every  two  or  three  years.'  ' 

Was  ever  pleasure  and  profit  so  delightfully  com- 
bined ?  After  leaving  the  Bankers1  Convention  at 
Kansas  City  all  care  or  thought  of  business  was  dis- 
missed. We  were  in  the  watch-care  of  Mr.  Blanchard, 
and,  confident  that  he  knew  the  way,  we  all  surren- 
dered ourselves  to  his  protection.  My  second  visit 
was  just  three  months  after  my  first.  Then  the  crops 
were  waving  in  the  fields,  now  they  were  harvested  ; 
and  as  the  Hon.  Darwin  R.  James  said  in  his  address 
at  the  banquet  at  Hutchinson,  "  All  that  Major  Cor- 
win  has  told  us  about  the  crops  and  the  salt  and  the 


62  B  drip  to  tbe  IRocfcies 


condition   of  things   in  Kansas  has  been   more  than 
realized." 

The  ' '  Dalmatia  Party  ' '  is  now  scattered.  Two 
are  in  Europe.  Others  are  again  controlling  the 
finances  of  Wall  Street,  and  the  busy  marts  of  trade 
and  commerce  of  the  Kast,  while  our  host  is  engaged  as 
before  in  developing  the  undiscovered  wealth  of  the 
great  agricultural  State,  which  has  untold  riches  of 
salt  and  other  interests  besides, — Kansas.  May  he  go 
on  from  conquering  to  conquest,  from  success  to  suc- 
cess, is  the  wish  of  all  those  who  enjoyed  his  unselfish 
hospitality. 

GOOD-BY  "DALMATIA." 

Our  house  on  wheels,  in  which  we  travelled  safely 
over  4,000  miles,  was  about  seventy  feet  long,  by  ten 
feet  wide ;  one  story ;  divided  into  drawing-room, 
smoking-room,  kitchen,  and  large  family  room.  For 
two  weeks  we  enjoyed  its  close  quarters, — small  for  the 
residence  of  twenty-two  people.  But  it  was  the  people 
that  made  the  rooms  delightful. 

"  Some  love  the  glow  of  outward  show, 

Some  love  mere  wealth  and  try  to  win  it ; 

The  house  to  me  may  lowly  be, 
If  I  but  like  the  people  in  it. 

What  's  all  the  gold  that  glitters  cold, 
When  linked  to  hard  or  haughty  feeling  ? 


Grip  to  tbe  IRocfcies  63 


Whate'er  we  're  told,  the  nobler  gold 
Is  truth  of  heart  and  manly  dealing  ! 

Then  let  them  seek,  whose  minds  are  weak, 
Mere  fashion's  smile,  and  try  to  win  it  ; 

The  house  to  me  may  lowly  be, 
If  I  but  like  the  people  in  it  !  " 

THE  KND. 


53      ^%yta 


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